The Story of Fables? (G1 Fable Ponies!)

[katrine2309]

What is the story about Fable Ponies? I’ve been trying to do some research on this set, but the research is a little bit contradicting. Especially regarding which ponies actually belonged to this set. I realize that there might be a very good reason why I can’t find any clear answer to this (that we do not know for sure), but I am still curious! Maybe someone here at the Arena sits on some quirky detail that might solve the mystery. Or maybe it isn’t such a mystery after all and my researching skills are just extremely flawed

I think I know this at least (with emphasis on think- please correct any mistakes if you see them ):

Fable Ponies were released in Sweden, Norway, Denmark(?), Finland (?) and other European countries(would love more info on which countries!). They were also released in Australia and South Africa. The set has the following ponies:

Moondancer (yellow)
Gusty (glittery symbol, green eyes)
Firefly (curly hair)
Skyflier
Powder (a lighter shade of purple)
Surprise
Heartthrob
Sparkler

I also read that some countries (such as Sweden) did not have a release of Glory and Medley with this set. Is that true for all countries the Fable Pony set were released? And what about Moondancer- was she always yellow in this set? No hint of any white Moondancers?

Which leads to a bigger question: Do we know if the Fable Pony set was the same in all countries it was released?

[Taffeta]

I am posting here because I love this set, and always love reading more tiny details about it. I am still sure we should have had this release here, but didn't.

The name Fable seems to have come from the German release on the same style of backcard which calls them Fabel-Ponys. Those are made in Italy. I've seen Firefly (Feuerfunke) a few times and drooled over her. I don't think the term is ever on the English language cards (like Movie Star is not on the movie star pony cards in English but comes from the French Cine Star etc).

That's pretty much all I can add at this point.

Except that there's a small underground theory among people geeky enough to look into this stuff that 1986 was in general a weird, complicated and unnecessarily messed up year in Europe.

And I think they may belong to that confusion.

Following this thread

[katrine2309]

@ Taffeta: yes, of course! Thank you - I knew I was missing something and of course the German name was it I remember seeing a MOC Gusty on this card with the name Fabel-Pony (love that name by the way!). So, they definitely were also sold in Germany then.

And 1986 was super confusing! I am trying to make a list over Scandinavian releases and more importantly -the differences between the three Scandinavian countries- and it is so difficult! Sweden is fairly easy, because there is a lot of information already. Denmark is more difficult because they are closer to rest of Europe and were doing its own thing at times. And Norway, well it seems most of pony community just assumed that Norway and Sweden had the same release plan so there isn’t much to go on other than what I know is incorrect (because they didn’t have the same release plan- there are lots of differences).

These Fable Ponies are one of the biggest headaches at the moment. I remember my neighbor had WHITE Moondancer. But how could she be white if yellow Moondancer was the only version released with this set? 

[Taffeta]

I think there's still that big problem with trying to separate out different release markets rather than just going along with the US/everywhere else binary system which is fine I guess if you're in the US but doesn't help anyone anywhere else to understand what they are finding, why, and whether they need to import things

What you know is correct and incorrect is a good place to begin, though.

Lots of luck with your quest Really looking forward to your findings, esp. with this set.

[katrine2309]

I think there's still that big problem with trying to separate out different release markets rather than just going along with the US/everywhere else binary system which is fine I guess if you're in the US but doesn't help anyone anywhere else to understand what they are finding, why, and whether they need to import things

What you know is correct and incorrect is a good place to begin, though.

Lots of luck with your quest Really looking forward to your findings, esp. with this set.

Thank you, Taffeta! Let’s hope someone can shed some light on this set    I agree with you 100%.

I am hoping to get some more info this autumn when the fleamarket season starts up here in Norway *crossing fingers* Then I’m most of all going on an 80’s advertisement hunt in old comics